Sub commander in sinking reprimanded

By Simon Davis in Los Angeles

12:00AM BST 24 Apr 2001

THE captain of an American submarine that killed nine Japanese - including four schoolchildren - by surfacing underneath a trawler was given a written reprimand by a navy disciplinary hearing last night.

The decision by Adml Thomas Fargo, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, at an "Admiral's Mast" hearing in Hawaii effectively forces the retirement of Cdr Scott Waddle with an honourable discharge. He was also ordered to forfeit half his pay for two months, suspended for six months, and will leave the navy by Oct 1.

After the hearing, Cdr Waddle said: "While I regret that my Navy career has ended in this way, I know that I am one of the lucky ones because I survived the accident."

He had ordered the nuclear-powered Greeneville to perform an emergency surfacing exercise for the benefit of civilian guests on a public relations cruise but the submarine's crew failed to observe procedures. A six-week inquiry ruled that a long lunch and slapdash routines ultimately caused the accident, and Adml Fargo concluded there had been dereliction of duty.

The trawler Ehime Maru had 35 people on board, including several children taking part in an educational trip. Four pupils, two teachers and three crew died.